Epidemiological analysis of proximal humeral fractures in adults in the Third Affiliated Hospital to Hebei Medical University from 2003 through 2012

Abstract

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and trends of femoral head fractures in adults at the Third Affiliated Hospital to Hebei Medical University from 2003 through 2012. Methods The clinical data were collected of the adult patients with femoral head fracture who had been treated between January 2003 and December 2012 in our hospital. The data regarding gender, age and fracture types of AO and Pipkin classifications were recorded. The data between January 2003 and December 2007 were assigned into group A and those between January 2008 and December 2012 into group B. The 2 groups were compared to find out the general epidemiologic characteristics and trends in the recent 10 years. Results A total of 251 adult femoral head fractures were included in this study, accounting for 3.43% (251/7, 315) of the adult proximal femoral fractures and 0.23% (251/107, 648) of the total adult fractures at the same period. They were 157 males and 94 females, with a ratio of male to female of 1.67: 1. The peak age of femoral head fractures was from 21 to 30 years old. The most frequent fracture types were 31-C1 by AO classification (42.23%) and type I by Pipkin classification (30.68%). There were 106 cases in group A (68 males and 38 females with an average age of 44.1±18.6 years) and 145 cases in group B (89 males and 56 females with an average age of 56.2±21.5 years). Compared with group A, the proportions of group B to the contemporary adult proximal femoral fractures and to the total adult fractures, as well as the mean age of group B, significantly increased (P<0.05). The percentage of type 31-C1 in group B (48.28%) was significantly higher than in group A (33.96%), and the percentage of type 31-C2 (23.45%) significantly lower than in group A (42.45%) (P<0.05). Conclusions The adult femoral head fractures were not very common. They occurred more in males than in females. Their peak age ranged from 21 years to 30 years of age. Their predominant types were AO type 31-C1 and Pipkin type I. Compared with the first 5 years, the second 5 years witnessed increased percentages of femoral head fractures to the contemporary adult proximal femoral fractures and to the total adult fractures, an increase in the percentage of type 31-C1 but a decrease in the percentage of 31-C2. Key words: Femur head; Fractures, bone; Epidemiology; Adult